Welcome to the Site

Hi Everybody:

Welcome to our "Vanished: Lompoc's Japanese" website. This endeavor in community-building promises to be an adventure. For people across the nation to come together digitally 68 years after evacuation is truly amazing. Here's a note from Marian Konishi. Some of you may remember her as Hatsue Nishimura.

"I spoke with Katherine (Inouye) Kayser this afternoon and we are planning to have lunch soon. Terry (Wakumoto) Kuzuhara and I were the best of friends and I will try to see her soon as well. Thank you for putting me in touch with all my friends --Everyone thinks it's unbelievable that after 65-70 years, we are connecting again." 

For me as the author, I'm so happy that this little book project has grown into something so enjoyable for so many. The forty pages of photos which will be seen in the center of the book have already arrived at the printshop in Colorado. So has the cover. The manuscript is on the way. It should be on the press on Tuesday.

The first Book Launch party will be held on Saturday afternoon October 2 at Valley of the Flowers United Church of Christ in Lompoc. George Yoshitake will be making sushi for the guests and Norma Green will be rocking on the piano. Cover designer Jeremy Bartic will be here too.

I hope to line up similar events in Los Angeles and the Bay Area soon. The book will be on sale here on the website, in selected bookstores in Lompoc, Los Angeles and the Bay Area, and on Amazon as soon as I can get to it.

This website will remain up as an information center for the book and the events it generates. Also for corrections and clarifications which we hope you will send in. Despite my best efforts, I guarantee there will omissions and inaccuracies. With your help we can correct them for a second printing. First of all I would love to know the names of the first three girls on the cover. Best wishes, John